Time Alone
by The Zeppo1
Summary: Updated!!! Scott and Jean try to take their relationship further, (Rate R just in case) Please R+R its my first story
1. Intro

Was he in love with her?

He had known her for so long, and he knew he cared for her as a member of his new family, but did he love her. They had saved each others life so many times, too many to mention. He had spent so many nights thinking about it, he wished he could just see their relationship for what it was. He wanted to live in the "now", but when ever he kissed her, he asked himself, was he in love with her? 

Even if he was, he could never look her in the eyes and tell her. He walked towards her dormitory, she had her own next to Kitty and Rogue's room, she had been one of the first students to join him at Professor Xavier's school for gifted youngsters. Scott Summers and Jean Grey, was there a destiny that brought them together? Or had luck been behind it.

He turned around the corner and faced down the corridor that lead to her room. Rogue was walking towards him. Rogue was another story all together. He admitted to himself he had once had feelings for her, when they met. He thought she didn't feel the same. She was sullen and preferred to be on her own. Given her power he could understand that. As Rogue saw Scott, he heart skipped a beat. She cared for him deeper than he would ever know. "Hey" she said, quietly in her southern accent. 

"Hey, Rogue" he replied. "What you up to?"

"Ah was jus goin' to see if the gym was free" she replied, quickly adding, "you wanna hang out for a while", she watched as he frowned and rubbed the back of his neck. Rogue had been inside his mind enough to know what that meant. Absorbing Cyclops power meant absorbing some of Scott. So many of his feelings were hidden from her, except the strong ones. She knew he loved Jean, and she know what the frown and neck scratch meant. "I'd like to, but Jean and I already have plans", he started to walk away, "next time"

"Sure" she sighed, and then smiled to cover up her disappointment. She walked away, leaving Scott heading for Jean's door. Questions were still running through his head. Did he love her? 

Jean?

....Rogue?

Where was he? 

He's late.

Does this mean he isn't interested? 

Jean was used to thousands of thoughts running through her head. Ripping through her brain, usually they where not her own. She had arranged a casual date with Scott, he was late. Had she heard the right time? Scott Summers does not run late, she thought to herself. Being punctual was part of his mutation. Suddenly there was a single knock on the door. Was that him? The single knock was followed by two in succession. That was him; he had to build up confidence before knocking twice of her door. As Cyclops he had faced Magneto, a Sentinel and many other challenges, getting him to open his heart to someone was something else. Loosing his family at a young age had scared him; Jean knew she would have to accept that if anything was to come of this relationship. She finished applying her make-up and checked her hair one last time before walking to the door. "Jean?" she heard a voice say from the other side of the wood. "Coming" she replied.

Scott looked into the room and say Jean standing in front of him as the door opened. She was so beautiful, even through the lenses of his ruby sunglasses. She suited red. He relied on Kurt to tell him the colour of things, he had told him Jean was a brunette, but after hearing Wolverine call her "Red" enough times, he figured out that Nightcrawler may have been joking. "Hey" she smiled at him, gesturing for him to enter.

Scott stood motionless for a second, then realised, and accepted the invitation. "...Sorry" he said walking into the room. "How are you?" he asked her

"I'm good, thank you" Jean walked over and sat on the edge of her, neatly made, bed. Scott stated wandering the room; he'd been in this room so many times, but never as Jean's boyfriend. They had stayed up many nights talking for hours, sitting on that bed, but suddenly it felt like unexplained territory. Jean looked in his mind, and the sudden rush of fear, added itself to her own. Could this work? She walked over towards him, and they both looked out of her window. "It's a nice day", he said

"Isn't it" she touched his shoulder. He shyly put his arm around the back of her waist. "Maybe we should go for a drive" she suggested, some time away from the Institute may relax him. "...Sorry, Logan's "borrowed" my car, he and Beast have taken Kitty for a driving lesson in New York". 

Jean laughed, "It's lucky he has healing powers" 

"It's a shame my car doesn't". 

The jokes had done it, the two were now themselves, the walls were down and the fear was gone. They both knew they had nothing to be afraid of. They shared a passionate kiss, they had repressed their feelings for so long they, they where now free. Scott felt as if he had removed his visor and was shooting out a beam of energy not even his ruby-quartz lens could stop. The kiss also filled Jean with energy; he powers had never been so keen. She lifted herself and Scott of the floor, and moved them away from the window, towards the bed, neither noticing the movement. 

These feelings were something they had denied themselves, something there eighteen year olds didn't have to worry about. Being mutants came with a life, a life that didn't allow for normal fun like this. Jean used her powers to lay herself and Scott down on her bed. She had never felt like this before. Kissing Duncan at his party a few months back had been ok, but nothing like this. She felt her own joy, as well as Scott's. With Duncan she had been to afraid to look into his mind, but Scott's pleasure was penetrating her brain, and she couldn't prevent it, she didn't want to. 

"Jean...Scott....Rogue...Kurt", a voice interrupted them. 

Scott and Jean parted and sighed. "It's the professor", Jean said. 

Scott arrived to the briefing room first; he and Jean had separated so not to arouse suspicion. Something he thought was only done in Sitcoms. He was now in his X-men uniform, figuring that Prof X had called him to the brief room for some kind of mission, either that or to ruin his and Jean's date. Kurt ported into the room; he too was dressed for duty. "Vhat a way to spend Saturday" he joked.

"You're telling me", Cyclops replied. "Me and Jean...had plans"

"Oh" Kurt nodded knowingly, he was only fifteen but understood the feelings between Scott and Jean, he felt the same about Amanda, a girl who had accepted him, blue fur and all. "In that case I hope this is life and death" Kurt joked. "...Wait...where is Jean, I thought I heard her name mentioned".

Cyclops stayed silent, "She's...on her way"

"I hope so", Professor Xavier entered the brief room, being escorted by Storm, a teacher at the Institute and member of the X-men. "I'm sorry to have interrupted whatever you all had planed today, but Cerebro..."

Rogue entered, her hair was wet from the shower. "Sorry, I'm late", she took her seat in between Cyclops and Nightcrawler. Jean arrived after her. She was still playing with her hair, like she had been when Cyclops had left her; she had thought it looked messy. "Excellent, Jean, if you can take a seat we can begin. Professor X wield himself into the middle of the room, and addressed his students. "I am sorry for asking you all to assemble on a Saturday, I hope once I explain you will understand why"

"You were saying something about Cerebro...?" Cyclops asked

"Yes, Scott", Xavier turned on the view screen behind him and the image of a young mutant appeared on the screen. The four teenage mutants look at the screen, and observe the images. "Cerebro detected his new mutant, a few minutes ago; I believe Magneto also knows of his boys existence"

"You want the X-men to go and recruit him first?" Cyclops asked, sceptically, "I don't think that requires all four of us"

"I do" Xavier glared at his student, some what surprised at his comment, "If Magneto has detected this mutant he may have sent his Acolytes to "recruit" the boy using his own methods". 

"Yes sir" Cyclops frowns, he had hoped that as leader of the X-men his recommendations would have some weight, of course they didn't, Xavier, Logan and even Storm saw him as just a boy. "You're a good leader Scott, and will one day be a fine man, but I would prefer you took a group with you on this mission...just in case". 

"It does make sense, Scott" Jean touched him on his shoulder from her seat behind him. The energy that had felt moments earlier ran through them again. Kurt subtly smiled, seeing the look on Scott's face, happiness was something he rarely saw on below the yellow visor. . No one saw the pain in Rogue's, she could never touch Scott, or anyone the way Jean could. Kurt saw that Xavier and Storm were picking up on the romance, and more importantly the hormones, so decide to intervene. "So, were are we going....I hope it's somewhere worm....if all mutants were from Hawaii, that'd be cool" 

His joke had worked, and distracted the Professor and Storm, "Unfortunately this is not a vacation Kurt, and you are to make contact with the new mutant and try to get him to return with you, if he chooses not to, protect him until we are sure he is safe from Magneto".

"What?" Rogue finally spoke up, her hair was still dripping, "We could be there for days"

"I will send Dr. McCoy and Storm to relieve you once they get home tomorrow. As you know he gets back tomorrow" the Professor explained turning off the view screen. "Don't worry Rogue" Storm continued for the Professor "you won't miss a day of school"


	2. Inflight

I forgot my Disclaimer; I unfortunately own none of this. The characters aren't mine, neither is the set or anything. It sucks being me. 

The tension inside the X-jet rose as it did, flying away from the Institute and towards the destination. Cyclops brooded as he flew. Would Xavier ever threat him with respect? Would he and Jean get some time to themselves, or was his life doomed. He could lead the X-men and long as his ideas where in line with the Professor.

Behind him Jean couldn't help but think of her relationship with Scott, they had been friends for so long, but know she had different feelings for him. Feelings she had never had for anyone. She had dreamed last night that the two of them had slept together, and when she woke up she was surprised by how disappointed she was that it was just a dream. Would he be her first?

Across from Jean, Rogue struggled with her seatbelt, "Why are these things so tight" she complained. 

"Safety first" Jean smiled 

What does he see in her? Rogue asked herself. Scott had been the reason Rogue had joined the X-men, that and she could no longer trust Mystique to tell her the truth. Was she wrong, Mystique was her step-mother; she had told her Scott would never love her. Was she right?

In front of her, Nightcrawler was Cyclops' co-pilot, he too was deep in thought. "What ever happened to Sonic the Hedgehog? Blue, fuzzy, that guy was cool"

"Jean, have you studied the information the Professor gave you before we left" Cyclops asked, turning his head to speak to the red head. Did he love her? He shock the question out of his head, this had to be about business. 

"Yes..." she replied "Cyclops. Erm....the mutants name is Quentin Quire. He's a telepath. A good one"

"I don't understand" Rogue chimed in, "Why is the Professor sending all of us. Recruiting this guy should be easy enough"

"Yeah...that's what we said about you", joked Nightcrawler, 

"But, surely this kid would get on better with him and Jean" Rogue sighed, "I was in the middle of a work out"

"If Magneto's men show up, I could need back up" Jean replied, "I am the one who going to approach him, right, Scott?"

"Yeah, it makes sense" Cyclops thought, he'd rather not send Jean in alone, this guy might not be of the good kind. "Nightcrawler, bring up the map, try and find a quiet place for us to land"

As a member of the brotherhood of mutants Toad had faced many situations he didn't enjoy. Facing off against the X-men almost every week was one of them. That was something he hated doing, especially when he lost, which he usually did. Why had Mystique asked him to come with her to Ohio, travelling this far from Bayville, alone been also something he didn't enjoy. Although travelling in her limo was not as upsetting. "What we doing here?" he asked the blue scaled women that sat next to him. She scared him, before she was leader of the Brotherhood she had been an assassin, Toad was sure that if he got on her bad side, he'd be dead. This would make him even less appealing to Wanda. The crimson girl of his dreams. "What's in Ohio?" 

"The X-men" she replied.

"Oh great. I came all this way to get my ass kicked. I don't need the frequent flyer miles that bad" Toad moaned, "This sucks"

"I'm going to deal with the X-men, I want you to do something else" Mystique smiled, "If you fail me....well, to say the least you won't be welcome at the brotherhood anymore".

"I don't likes the sound of that" Toad took a quick look into Mystique eyes and knew she was serious. 

"Ohio!" Nightcrawler whined as Cyclops led him and the other X-men out of the forest, although they were know in their civilian identities. It had made the perfect place to hide the jet, but meant a walk into town. 

"This town were  heading for looks just like Bayville" Jean said, scanning thought the Cerebro print out Xavier had given her. 

"Good" Rogue said, "Should make it easy to find the kid"

"Why'd you say that" Nightcrawler asked, turning on his image inducer, so he was seen as human. "Because mutants aren't exactly known for their ability to blend in"

"I do" Nightcrawler said, showing Rogue his human, holographic, face. 

"She's right, I doubt this kid has been able to keep his powers under wraps" Scott Summers led the team into town. He didn't want to be here, he wanted to hold Jean's hand and take her to a restaurant when they got to this stupid little town. But he doubted the mission parameters allowed for that. 


	3. Fire without

Wanda wondered as she walked down the alley, what was everyone's sudden interest in this small town in Ohio. She had heard Magneto was here, and on her way into town she had seen the X-jet land. Xavier had an interest in this poor man's Smallville as well. Why?

"Hey baby!" Toad entered the alley behind her, hoping he went, "My sweetie, what are you doing here?"

Wanda signed, what was his boy's problem, why was he so fixated on her. "Toad!?!"

"That's right....I know you're happy to see me" He giggled as he leaped over her and blocked her from going any further down the alley. "Whatcha ya dooooing?"

"Go away" she tried to push passed him, but as she touched his shoulder she realised her mistake. "Wanda....?" he gasped. "I knew it; I knew you felt the same way"

Deception was not something Wanda believed in, but Toad may have the best way to track down Magneto. He had knack for getting in trouble. "Why are you here, Todd?" she asked in a friendly manor, she had considered flirting, but that would be too cruel, even to Toad.

"I..." he paused, he wanted to think about what Mystique had told him. "Well, Mystique is trying to bag some new mutant, a big-brain"

"That must be why the X-men are here too" she realised

"Yeah...well, she wants the guy before Magneto grabs him", Toad told her everything he knew. "I don't know why everyone's fallen for this kid"

"Toad...." she began, "Why did Mystique bring you?"

"She knows about your relationship, and figured you'd trust me", Toad continued. Wanda decided to hold back from yelling, "There is no relationship", but decided not to, she wanted to pump Toad for information. 

"She told me to take you to Magneto", Toad stayed leaving the alley; "She figured you would distract him long enough for her to grab the Omega Kid". 

"What about the X-men?" Wanda was sceptical, there had to be more to Mystique's plan then what she had told Toad. 

"That's the beauty part. Magneto's own guys will be after them. Magneto takes out the X-men, we distract Magneto, you get to see you Daddy, and Mystique gets her boy"

"So, you're here to take me to my father", Wanda smiled, allowing Toad to lead her away from the alley. 

On the building above them, two figures watched.

"I'm glad we are working together again" Magneto looked to his partner. "You have distracted Wanda long enough for the Brotherhood to grab this new mutant....good job Mystique"

Magneto looked to Mystique, he had know her a long time, and suspected there was more to this. "What are you playing Mystique?"

"I have my own reasons", she walked away

"If this about that girl..." Magneto began, "She won't come back to us, not as long as she believes Charles' lies"

"I have already lost two sons, I will not give up on her....she's too important"

Ding-dong

Jean rung the door bell. Scott stood behind her, with Rogue and Kurt. Scott found it hard to concentrate with Jean standing directly in front of him. He hoped this could be concluded quickly. If this boy knew what was right he would join the Xavier institute. 

"He's not answering", Jean said

"Is he in there?" Kurt asked, "Want me to go in"

Jean explored the house with her mind, "Kurt, go in" she cried, "something's wrong"

"I'll go with you" Scott said, removing his glasses and placing the visor on over his eyes. "Hold on" Kurt teleported, leaving a puff of smoke where he and Cyclops had stood. 

"Wha'd you see?" Rogue asked, walking up behind Jean.

"Someone's hurt. I felt pain"

"You're about to feel some more" Pyro arrived behind them, in time to use his super villain whit. Jean threw him back using her telekinesis. As he flew back he activated his flame throwers, driving fire towards Jean and Rogue. 

Without thinking Jean threw Rogue away from the fire, while using her power to slow the flame down. 

"Jean..." Rogue screamed as she flew through the air, as she landed she hit her head, and fell unconscious. 

Jean fought to keep the fire back, as hard as she could, she knew her power couldn't hold it forever. 

~Scott!~ she thought, ~Help me~

Before she knew what had happened, she fainted, and was consumed by the fire. 

"Find anything" Kurt asked as he met Scott upstairs.

"No", Scott had his trademark frown on his face, "The boy isn't here, and I can't find any trace of his family. I was about to check that last room..."

~Scott!~ the voice of Jean ran through his head, it hurt...

"I'll check it", Kurt replied, walking away without seeing the pain Scott was going through. 

"Jean" he said to himself. Suddenly he felt warm, as if his skin was on fire. "Help me!" he screamed. Falling unconscious. 


	4. The Moment

"Ack", Nightcrawler looked into the room, a women, he assumed was Quentin's mother was lying on her bed. The woman was crying, groaning, moving as if she having a horrible nightmare she couldn't wake from.

"Help me!" 

Nightcrawler teleported back into the hall where Cyclops was lying asleep on the floor. "What is going on?"

Nightcrawler kneed down by Cyclops and shock him, "Dude, dude....Scott, wake up". 

Cyclops jumped up, "Jean..." he ran downstairs. "Jean!"

"What is going on?" Kurt followed his leader down the stairs.

Scott and Kurt raced out of the house, and found Jean lying on the porch. Scott prayed Jean was alright, he wasn't ready to lose her. He had felt her pain; it was like she was being burned. Yet she looked well, just asleep. She looked beautiful. 

"Find Rogue" Scott ordered.

"Where is she?" Kurt looked around

"I thought "find Rogue" explained I don't know"

"I'll find her"

Scott turned, "I'm sorry...". Kurt wasn't there, just a cloud of smoke. He looked back to Jean. "I've messed up, Jean, can you hear me, I'm sorry...Jean"

Nightcrawler appeared in front of him, "I can't find her, she isn't around. I noticed something"

"What?"

"The grass over there, it's scorched" Nightcrawler pointed, "Pyro?"

"Well, the kids not here?" Scott picked Jean up, and carried her in his arms. "I'll take Jean back to the jet, you..."

"There's a women in the bedroom, she's in a coma or something" Kurt intrupted. "I think I should get her to a hospital"

"Agreed. She may know where Quentin Quire is", Cyclops walked off, "Get her to a hospital then meet me back at the jet, I'll make sure Jean's safe then we'll find Rogue"

"Ay, this mission is worse then I imaged"

"I know" Scott walked away carrying Jean. 

"It's not your fault, Y'know", Kurt ran in front of Cyclops, wanting him to know the truth. 

"We'll talk about this later, when lives aren't at stake"

Kurt ported out of sight, leaving Scott alone with Jean. 

Scott raced to the X-jet, never slowing down, he carried Jean in his arms, but knew for her own good he had to stay focused on where they where going, and not peek at his sleeping beauty. 

When Scott arrived at the X-jet he raced inside like he'd never before, he lay Jean down on her chair, and tipped the back of it down so she could rest. "Jean, you're, ok, you're gonna be ok" he stroked her hair and moved it away from her face. "I'll be right back" he said, and moved towards the communications system. "X-jet to the institute, does anyone hear me? Help?!" Scott scream

~Yes, Scott~ the Professor entered him mind

"There's been a problem, sir. Pyro is here, he may have taken Rogue and the boy. Jean's been hurt. It felt like she was on fire, but there doesn't look to be anything physically wrong with her"

~Make sure that she is safe, I will send Logan and Storm to met you. But we can't let this mutant go, nor can we lose Rogue...Scott you must find them, please~

"I know sir, I will"

"Scott...", he heard a voice from behind him

"Jean's awake professor, I'll contact you soon, hopefully I'll have better information". 

Scott ran to Jean and kneeled down by her chair. "Scott..." she whispered

"I'm here Jean", he reached for her hand, it was so cold. He felt it, and shivered. "Jean...?"

"What happened?"

"I don't know", Scott walked to one of the jets overhead compartments and pulled out a sheet, "here", he spread it over her, "you're freezing"

"I was on fire"

"I felt it", Scott replied, "You must have tried to contact me, do you remember", Jean shock her head. "But you don't have any burns?"

"Are you sure" Jean stood up from the chair, and dropped the sheet Scott had given her, "Have you looked everywhere?"

Scott coughed in shock, he watched as Jean begun to undress in front of him. "Jean...you're freezing, you should get dressed, you could be in shock"

Jean stopped what she was doing and moved towards him, "Is that what you want?" she asked wrapping her arms around him.

"No" Scott admitted, "But it's what's best for you"

She kissed him, exploring his body with her hands, this was the moment the couple had waited for, and it had taken a near death mission to make it happen, Scott thought. Was this the right time?


End file.
